OPA report: SPD used fake radio transmissions during 2020 CHOP protests

SEATTLE — Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz is looking over findings from the Office of Police Accountability on allegations that the department launched a misinformation effort in the early days of the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest.

According to that report, officers orchestrated a fake radio transmission on June 8, 2020, as they allegedly followed a group of Proud Boys looking to confront CHOP protesters.

The only issue was that the group of Proud Boys did not exist.

The officers behind the transmission told investigators the goal was to throw off protesters listening to their radio channels.

But investigators said mentioning armed Proud Boys made a volatile situation even worse.

It is unlikely there will be any punishment for the officers responsible.

According to the report, the two employees found to have committed policy violations have already left the department.

The OPA also determined that the participation of the other officers who were part of the ruse “was predominantly attributable to the lack of supervision and guidance provided to them” by their supervising officers.

Click here to read the OPA’s full report.

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